Sightseeing tour

Kyiv is world famous ancient city, centre of gravity of all Ukrainian lands. It is more that 1500 years old. Kyiv was an administratively-political center on Almost all stages of historical development: in VІІ-VІІІ it was the center of early state formation of slavs – Poliansky principality, in ІХ-ХІІ was the capital city of Kyivan Rus, mighty East Slavic state, well known in Europe, Asia and on Near east.

Travellers-foreigners admired the Kyiv landscapes, beauty and riches of golden-domed temples of city since olden times. Yet at the beginning of XI century Titmar, bishop of Merseburg, marked that Kyiv is "very strong" city, although often it is destroyed by the attacks of pechenegs. "In this large city, he wrote, there are more than 400 churches, 8 markets, countless force of people".

Kyiv stretches from a north southward along both picturesque banks of Dnipro. Forests, green plantings and reservoirs represent the over half of territory of city. That is why Kyiv has a glory of "city-park" on Dnipro. The general area of aquatic space within the limits of city is about 40 sq km.

Streets and highways of city are put in order, transport upshots are created. Squares and streets are decorated with new monuments and green plantings. An unique aquatic-green diameter with length of 30 km and width of 1,5-5 km, which includes the Dnieper islands, coastal parkas and meadow-parks is the basis of the system of the green planting.

Presently, when Ukraine became the independent state, Kyiv is the administratively-political, economic, cultural, scientific and religious centre of the country On the quantity of population Kyiv is included in ten of biggest cities of Europe. 2,8 million persons live here. Territory of city is divided into 10 administrative districts. President of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada, Cabinet of Ministers, higher judicial instances, central public authorities work in city.

Here is the ramified enough network of establishments of culture and art: over 30 theatres, about 100 museums, 140 libraries, 19 concerto organizations and independent musical collectives etc. are in Kyiv.

The public passenger transport is widely developed in Kyiv, including: underground, speed tram, trolleybus, bus. About 4 million passengers use public transport daily. There are three lines of underground passage, general length of which is over 60 kilometres (49 stations). They account for 36% of transportation.

Almost all historical epochs left in Kyiv the tracks as sights of archaeology, history, architecture and art. 2148 sights which are guarded by the state, form the unique historical and cultural heritage of city. 39 of them are of international value, 437 of state and 1711 of local value. Besides, Kyiv has favourable naturally-recreational resources: a warm-temperate climate, large tracts of forests, which surround city, with the small rivers and reservoirs create remarkable terms for rest, recreation, treatment of people and form pre-conditions of increase of tourist streams to the city.

Opposite the new building on front of Volodymyrska street there is a monumental building in style of neo-renaissance - the National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Ukraine Named after Т. Shevchenko.

There was a military flotilla on Dnipro, which had been officially created in 1696. The River military ships participated in the events of civil war; the river sailors protected the city from a fascist invasion in 1941 with an exceptional courage.

St. Michael’s Monastery was one of the oldest Kyiv sacred objects. In XI century in this place there was St. Dimitrius Monastery, founded by the Kyiv Prince Iziaslav Yaroslavych (the Christian name is Dmytro).